Nonterminating Polymerizations in Continuous Flow Systems

The feasibility of manufacturing narrow polydispersity polymers in continuous flow systems is explored. The method of moments is applied to ideal and more realistic kinetic schemes in a variety of reactor types. In most cases, polydispersities approaching those obtained in batch can also be achieved in continuous reactors, but the long-term stability of a tubular reactor with species-dependent, radial diffusion remains in doubt.